Questions to Ask After Injuring Yourself in a Fall
Slip and fall accidents often happen in a matter of seconds, but can have months or even years of repercussions. When you’re hurt, you may not be thinking about what you need to do to protect your rights because you’re preoccupied with your health. This is perfectly normal, but it’s important to make sure you’re doing everything possible to ensure you get full and fair compensation.
Pittman, Roberts & Welsh has helped many victims of slip and fall accidents in the past. When they’re overwhelmed with insurance companies, costs of healthcare, and letting their injuries heal, we step in to provide guidance and let them know that we’re in their corner.
While slip and fall accidents can cause shock, there are some essential steps you need to take after so you can make your claim as strong as possible. Consider these following questions and use the answers to inform your actions.
How am I injured?
You’ll need to know your injuries so you can work on treatment and your proper compensation amount. Your injuries will determine the level of care that you need. This may include hospital stays, surgeries, or could require some form of continued physical therapy in the future.
One important thing to keep in mind is that just because you don’t feel or see an injury doesn’t mean you’re okay. Some injuries may take a few hours or days to present symptoms. Don’t try to brush off any pain or ignore the accident, as this may allow your injuries to go unchecked.
Do I need to see a doctor?
To get an accurate evaluation of your injuries, you do need to get to a doctor as soon as possible. This can only benefit you. You’re finding out the extent of your injuries and can start treating them before they get worse. You’ll also have a record that you went to see a doctor and they’ll detail your injuries.
Did anyone witness my fall?
Having an eyewitness can help your case because you have a third party to confirm your story. They also may have spotted a detail that demonstrates negligence, which could shed new light on your case. If they’re willing to report what they saw, you should get their name and contact information to get a statement.
Why did my fall happen?
You should also figure out how your fall happened. Was there a spill left on the floor? Or was there debris blocking the pathway so you couldn’t walk safely? Try to identify what caused your fall.
Should I record evidence?
Once you’ve found what caused your fall, do your best to document it. Taking many photos of the accident scene can help your case later, as physical evidence may not be preserved if you leave the scene. Photographs will also help your attorney piece together what happened.
How should I report this?
In addition to photographs, you need to file an accident report. This informs the manager or supervisor that something happened and creates a record of the date your accident happened. You’ll have the details of the accident fresh in your mind and be as thorough as possible. Only record the facts and don’t try to fill in any gaps. Guessing may harm your case later.
Do I need legal representation?
If you plan on filing a claim, you should get a lawyer who has slip and fall experience. The sooner you get in touch with them, the better. They’ll be able to take the evidence that you’ve gathered and start to build your case and will help you get a fair settlement. Often, insurance companies will start to contact you after a slip and fall and will try to get you to settle early before you can get representation. Their initial offer may be tempting to take so you can say the matter is over, but it’s likely that their offer is much less than you deserve.
Pittman, Roberts & Welsh Can Represent You
Negligent people need to be held liable for their actions. The lawyers at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh understand how debilitating wrongful injuries can be. Call us today so we can talk about your options. We’ll begin the process of recovering the damages you’ve lost and you can look forward to the future knowing that your financial situation is solid.
